Origins of American Government Chapter 2

The Critical PeriodChapter 2 ~ Section 3

ObjectivesI Describe the structure of the government set up under the Articles of Confederation II Explain why the weaknesses of the Articles led to a critical period for the country in the 1780sIII Describe how a growing need for a stronger national government led to plans for the Constitutional ConventionVocabulary Articles of ConfederationRatificationJurisdiction

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3Main IdeaThe government that saw the colonist through the revolution had no real framework, order or directionThe colonists knew something formalized and permanent needed to be created if the revolution was successful which led to the drafting of the Articles of Confederation, our first governmentChapter 1 ~ Section 3The Articles of Confederation established a firm league of friendship among the States Powers: Congress was given the power to declare war, deal with national finance issues, and settle disputes among the States Obligations: The States promised to obey Congress, and to respect the laws of the other States. Most other powers were retained by each StateThe Government had no power of enforcement

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3The Articles were very flawed from the start

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3The Revolutionary War ended in October of 1781The economic, political and military issues of the newly independent United States were only highlighted by the flaws of the Articles of ConfederationAn ineffective government led to arguing, jealousy and suspicion among the statesMost of the states refused to support the governmentSome states made secret trade deals with other states & countries

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3The states acted as economic competitors with one another, the would refuse trade, over tax, band other states products, printed their own currency and violence erupted

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3The most well know act of violence was Shays Rebellion in MassachusettsA group of disgruntled farmers stormed an arsenal to steal weapons to prevent their farms from being foreclosed uponThe state of Massachusetts eased laws on land owners at this timeThe 12 other states saw this as a wake up call and realized that a stronger more organized government was needed

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3The leaders of states and of the revolution realized that the Articles of Confederation would lead to the undoing of the United StatesBy 1785 a movement sprung up to change the Articles of Confederation and create a new form of government

Chapter 1 ~ Section 3Representatives from Maryland and Virginia (economic rivals) met at Mount Vernon, Virginia, (George Washingtons house) in 1785 to discuss trade The meeting was so successful that the Virginia government requested a meeting of all thirteen States, which eventually became the Constitutional Convention